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<a name="Symspecs"></a>
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<a name="Symspecs-1"></a>
<h3 class="section">4.5 Symspecs</h3>

<p>Many of the output options allow functions to be included or excluded
using <em>symspecs</em> (symbol specifications), which observe the
following syntax:
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">  filename_containing_a_dot
| funcname_not_containing_a_dot
| linenumber
| ( [ any_filename ] `:' ( any_funcname | linenumber ) )
</pre></div>

<p>Here are some sample symspecs:
</p>
<dl compact="compact">
<dt>&lsquo;<samp>main.c</samp>&rsquo;</dt>
<dd><p>Selects everything in file <samp>main.c</samp>&mdash;the
dot in the string tells <code>gprof</code> to interpret
the string as a filename, rather than as
a function name.  To select a file whose
name does not contain a dot, a trailing colon
should be specified.  For example, &lsquo;<samp>odd:</samp>&rsquo; is
interpreted as the file named <samp>odd</samp>.
</p>
</dd>
<dt>&lsquo;<samp>main</samp>&rsquo;</dt>
<dd><p>Selects all functions named &lsquo;<samp>main</samp>&rsquo;.
</p>
<p>Note that there may be multiple instances of the same function name
because some of the definitions may be local (i.e., static).  Unless a
function name is unique in a program, you must use the colon notation
explained below to specify a function from a specific source file.
</p>
<p>Sometimes, function names contain dots.  In such cases, it is necessary
to add a leading colon to the name.  For example, &lsquo;<samp>:.mul</samp>&rsquo; selects
function &lsquo;<samp>.mul</samp>&rsquo;.
</p>
<p>In some object file formats, symbols have a leading underscore.
<code>gprof</code> will normally not print these underscores.  When you name a
symbol in a symspec, you should type it exactly as <code>gprof</code> prints
it in its output.  For example, if the compiler produces a symbol
&lsquo;<samp>_main</samp>&rsquo; from your <code>main</code> function, <code>gprof</code> still prints
it as &lsquo;<samp>main</samp>&rsquo; in its output, so you should use &lsquo;<samp>main</samp>&rsquo; in
symspecs.
</p>
</dd>
<dt>&lsquo;<samp>main.c:main</samp>&rsquo;</dt>
<dd><p>Selects function &lsquo;<samp>main</samp>&rsquo; in file <samp>main.c</samp>.
</p>
</dd>
<dt>&lsquo;<samp>main.c:134</samp>&rsquo;</dt>
<dd><p>Selects line 134 in file <samp>main.c</samp>.
</p></dd>
</dl>




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